


Four Seasons

by XFangHeartX



Series: Inuyasha: The Next Tomorrow [31]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Romance, Teen Romance, the four seasons - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-20 13:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22018177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX
Summary: Inuyasha, Kagome, and their family during the four seasons.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha), OC Relationships, Older!Rin/Sesshomaru
Series: Inuyasha: The Next Tomorrow [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/370769
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Spring

**Author's Note:**

> Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
> 
> Story and OCs © Me

Cherry blossoms danced on the springtime breeze as they fell from the branches. Wildflowers bloomed in the meadows and with it came the chirping of sparrows as they perched in the trees. Butterflies fluttered along in the sky whilst stopping to take a quick drink of nectar from the blossoms before they continued on...and as one flitted along, it narrowly avoided the claws of a playful tiger-striped nekomata who mewled playfully as she wiggled her rear end in the air, preparing to pounce, once again...  
  
"Mamoru~!"  
  
...But alas, her young mistress seemed to want her company. Hunting butterflies would have to wait, it seemed.  
  
Mamoru turned and sauntered off at the sound of Sanka's voice. It didn't take her long to find her since she wasn't too far away. The nekomata made it a point never to stray too far from her side, lest something should happen to her. Of course, her parents and siblings weren't too far from her, anyway, but she didn't want to take chances.  
  
"There you are," said Sanka as she picked Mamoru up and cuddled her, gently, causing her to purr as she nuzzled her face. "Good kitty."  
  
**Mew!** Mamoru meowed, cutely while Sanka carried her back to the house.  
  
Kagome hummed a little tune to herself as she set the laundry out to dry out in the sun while Ichiro was sitting with Izayoi and Usagi, showing them a bush of white flowers that they could sniff. At one point, Izayoi let out a cute little sneeze, and that made Usagi squeal with laughter while Ichiro smiled at the twins, tenderly stroking their heads. Sanka then looked over to the house, where she saw Yamako lying on the porch on his stomach, drawing on a sketchbook with some crayons he got last week as a present from his uncle Sota.  
  
And then there was Inuyasha. The half-demon snored as he lied in the shade of the tree as blossoms rained down upon him, his red Fire Rat haori dotted with pink petals. One landed on one of his ears, which twitched slightly at the sensation as he continued his little nap.  
  
Sanka blinked before she looked to the white flowers in the bushes, as well as some of the wildflowers she had collected earlier this morning. She was going to use them to make a flower chain. However, as she looked at her father, then grinned as a mischievous glint appeared in her eye.  
  


XXX

  
Inuyasha stretched his arms and awoke with a yawn, his eyes half-mast with sleepiness...and for some reason, he could hear the sounds of snickering around him. As his blurry vision began to clear and he scratched his head, the half-demon looked up to see Kagome, Ichiro (who was holding the twins), and Yamako all trying to stifle their laughter.  
  
"Uh...mind telling me what's so funny?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"You tell us...Princess," Kagome answered with a snort.  
  
"Wait, what?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Dad...your hair...!" Ichiro snickered.  
  
Inuyasha looked up...only to gasp in shock as he saw a flower crown placed on top of his head, and not just that, but his hair had been braided into one long ponytail and flowers intertwined into it, as well!  
  
"W-what the-?!" Inuyasha questioned. "How did that-"  
  
A small giggle coming from his left was his answer, causing him to gasp in mock horror as he turned to Sanka, who was trying to keep herself from laughing while Mamoru sat beside her.  
  
"YOU!!" Inuyasha exclaimed, causing Sanka to shriek before she ran off, causing her father to give chase while Kagome, Ichiro, Yamako, and the twins all laughed and pointed.  
  
"Run, San, run!!" shouted Yamako while Sanka continued to run away, but Inuyasha soon caught her in his arms and lifted her high up into the air with the biggest grin he could ever make.  
  
"Haha! Gotcha!" he exclaimed before he started to toss Sanka up and down in the air, causing her to go into an even bigger fit of squealing giggles.  
  
"Hang on, San! I'll save you!" Yamako exclaimed before he ran up and playfully tackled Inuyasha, who cried out in surprise before he fell to the ground, sending flower petals and grass scattering about. The half-demon laughed as he held both Yamako and Sanka in his arms. Soon after, Ichiro, after handing off the twins to his mother, came and lied down on the grass, too, laughing along with his father and younger siblings, and Mamoru, not one to be left out, soon jumped on Inuyasha's stomach. As for Kagome, laughter was just bubbling from inside her while she held the giggling twins.  
  
"Oh, I love my life..." she said, cheerily.  
  
Soon, the family was lying on the grass together, staring up at the blue sky and the puffy white clouds.  
  
"I love spring," said Sanka as she rested her head on Inuyasha's stomach while Mamoru sat by her side. "All the flowers come out and it makes everything look so pretty."  
  
"Yeah, and the butterflies come out!" Yamako added.  
  
"And there's always new life being born," said Kagome, holding Usagi in her arms.  
  
"Speaking of new life," said Ichiro, "how's Aunt Sango doing after she had the baby, yesterday?"  
  
"She's resting," said Kagome. "The baby was born a little late, but she's healthy."  
  
"Well, I'm glad Unmo is okay," said Inuyasha while he held a snoozing Izayoi. "Still, I think Miroku better start being a little more careful. They're not rabbits, for crying out loud."  
  
Yamako snickered a bit as he remembers how flustered and hysterical Miroku got when Sango was in the labor the other day. Kagome actually had to have Roku keep him out of the birthing room while Shiratsuki and Haruhana helped her with the process. Still, after everything settled down, it was such a beautiful moment seeing Miroku, Sango and their children all huddled around the new baby girl. Kohaku and Kirara were there, too, of course, along with the former's new lady friend, Mikumi.  
  
Sango couldn't help but tease her brother just a bit on how well the pair were getting along.  
  
"Speaking of which, Roku's sisters sure have been gone a while, huh?" asked Ichiro.  
  
"Miroku took them out on their first demon-slaying mission," said Kagome. "He did promise them."  
  
"...Dad, when are you gonna start taking me with you on jobs?" asked Ichiro.  
  
"Oh...maybe later this winter," said Inuyasha. "Depends."  
  
"...Eh, I'll take what I can get," said Ichiro as he lied back down, watching the birds fly by through the sky.  
  
"Ichi~!"  
  
Ichiro sat up as he heard his name being called, and sure enough, there was Tsukihime approaching from over the hillside.  
  
"Hey, Tsuki!" Ichiro exclaimed as he ran to greet her. As he got closer, though, his eyes suddenly went wide as he noticed that the wolf demon princess' hair had been braided into a ponytail. Not just that, but she had flowers in it, too, aside from the iris flower that decorated her bangs. Wisteria, plum blossoms, and at the very top of the braid, a sunflower.  
  
"You...braided your hair," said Ichiro, his cheeks suddenly growing warm.  
  
"Well, technically, my Mom and my little sister braided it for me," Tsukihime replied. "So...do you like it?"  
  
"Y-yeah, I do!" Ichiro answered. "It's really nice on you."  
  
Tsukihime giggled, her tail wagging so fast, it was almost invisible. Inuyasha and Kagome blinked at the two pre-teens before they glanced at each other, then smiled and chuckled knowingly. Even Sanka started giggling while Yamako stared blankly as he watched his older brother head off to who-knows-where with his best friend, once again.  
  
"Ichiro and Tsukihime sure have been spending a lot of time together, huh?" Yamako asked. "And I mean more than usual."  
  
"Yeah, they have," said Kagome as she stood while being careful not to drop Usagi. "Maybe that's a good thing."  
  
"Huh?" asked Yamako.  
  
"You'll get it when you're a little older, Yama," answered Inuyasha while he cradled Izayoi while the family began to head back to the house.  
  
"I'm surprised you're not flipping your lid over this," said Kagome. "Doesn't it come off as even a little shocking to you?"  
  
"With the way they've spent time together since they were kids?" asked Inuyasha. "Not in the least. It's Koga I'm more worried about."  
  
"Heeheehee!" Sanka giggled as she skipped alongside her parents and Mamoru sauntered along behind her.  
  
"...I still don't get it," said Yamako.  
  
"Like I said, you will when you're a little older," Inuyasha said while Yamako sighed and shrugged his shoulders.  
  


XXX

  
As the day began to draw to a close, the clouds soon brought along the usual spring showers. Nothing too heavy, just a little rain to give to the thirsty crops in the fields. Kagome was busy making some boar meat stew for dinner when Ichiro came back to the house, a bit soaked from the rainfall but no worse for wear. After he shook the water off in a fashion not too different from his father, he soon walked in to join his family.  
  
"Hey, guys," said Ichiro as he sat down in front of the firepit while Kagome handed him a towel to dry off with.  
  
"How was your day with Tsuki?" asked Kagome.  
  
"It was fine," said Ichiro. "Of course, we got caught in the rain, so we had to wait a bit before it at least got a little lighter."  
  
"Looks like she might have left you a little somethin'," said Inuyasha as he took out a wisteria blossom from his son's hair, causing Ichiro to blink in surprise before he started to chuckle, his cheeks turning a slight tinge of pink.  
  
"How'd that get in there?" he asked, causing his family to laugh.


	2. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a hot summer day, the family goes swimming to stave off the heat…but not everybody wants to join in on the fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
> 
> Story and OCs © Me

The sun's rays beamed down on the front yard that morning. The cicadas were making their buzzing calls and the dragonflies darted about in the air. Inuyasha grunted as he threw his hoe into the dirt, then sighed as he wiped the sweat forming on his forehead. His haori was off and he had his hair tied up in a bun in an attempt to stave off the summer heat.  
  
Kagome sat on the porch, her hair tied back in a ponytail as she held the twins to her side, trying to stay in the shade. As she looked around, she saw Ichiro and Yamako sitting under the old oak tree together, trying to keep out of the sun, their hair tied back as well. So far, it didn't look like they were enjoying themselves, either. Yamako, who had recently turned 6, was leaning against his brother while Ichiro sat on the grass with his tongue dangling out of his mouth like that of a regular dog.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
Kagome turned to see Sanka approach her, her hair also tied back while Mamoru stood by her side...and the poor things looked just as miserable.  
  
"It's really hot," said Sanka. "Even in the house."  
  
"Yes, honey, it is hot, today," said Kagome as she fanned herself with her hand. The twins also made their discomfort known with equally shrill whines, which prompted their mother to pick them and hold them both in her arms in an attempt to get them to settle down. It had to be nearly 80 degrees outside, so of course, the kids would be uncomfortable.  
  
"You know what would be really good, right about now?" asked Yamako. "A nice dip in a cool pool of water."  
  
"Ohh, yeah..." Ichiro whispered in agreement. "That's the stuff."  
  
"Hmm..." Kagome hummed as she put a hand to her chin in contemplation...and that's when the proverbial lightbulb lit up.  
  


XXX

  
"CANNONBALL!!!"  
  
**KERSPLASH!!!** Ichiro leaped into the water of the cool lake, plunging beneath the surface before he reemerged not 3 seconds later, laughing as he kicked his legs to keep himself afloat.  
  
"Hey, Ichi!" Yamako exclaimed as he puddled up to his brother. "Let's see who can hold their breath underwater the longest!"  
  
"Ha! You're on!" Ichiro grinned before they both took in a deep breath and plunged under the water. On the lake bank, sitting under the shade of a birch tree, Kagome smiled as she watched her sons swim together while she held the twins in her arms. Sanka sat beside her, stroking Mamoru's fur and tails...and for some reason, she looked a bit nervous as she stared out at the lake.  
  
"San, honey?" Kagome asked. "Don't you wanna go swim with your brothers?"  
  
"Uh...no, thank you, Mommy," Sanka replied. "I'm just fine, sitting here."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kagome asked. "You're missing out on a lot of fun."  
  
Sanka looked out to the water, where she saw Yamako pop out, gasping for air, and Ichiro resurfaced not long after.  
  
"No fair, Ichi!" Yamako shouted. "You were trying to make me laugh!"  
  
"No one said there was a rule against that!" Ichiro teased.  
  
"...That doesn't seem fun to me," Sanka muttered, causing her mother to smile at her.  
  
"Well, you're a girl, so you don't really play rough games like they do," said Kagome as she gently stroked her daughter's ears. At that moment, Inuyasha walked by...wearing only his hakama as he glanced at Kagome with smoldering amber orbs. His hair was still tied up in a bun, giving his wife a nice view of his chiseled back muscles, which caused her to grin.  
  
"You comin' in, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Oh, I will in a minute," Kagome replied with a bit of a sultry look in her brown eyes, causing the half-demon to chuckle before he soon walked into the water and began to swim out to his sons, who laughed as they started to splash him.  
  
"Hey!" Inuyasha exclaimed before he started to splash the boys back. Kagome continued to sit back and watch her husband and sons play while she kept the twins beside her. Sanka, on the other hand, just kept sitting at her mother's left side, holding Mamoru in her lap and stroking her.  
  
"San?" asked Kagome, causing her daughter to look up at her. "I'm about to get in. You wanna come with me?"  
  
"N-no, thanks, Mommy," Sanka replied with a shake of her head. "I wanna stay here with Mamoru."  
  
Kagome could only give her 4-and-a-half-year-old daughter a concerned look before she sighed and began to strip herself of her suikan, revealing her sarashi underneath. Just as she neared the water's edge, she noticed some bubbles forming on the surface.  
  
"Huh?" Kagome muttered, but then she gasped as two hands suddenly burst out of the water and grabbed her, then pulled her down into the lake without warning, causing Sanka to let out a horrified gasp as she saw her mother disappear.  
  
"MOMMY!!!" Sanka cried out in alarm as she ran to the water's edge, but then, as quickly Kagome was pulled into the lake, she sucked in a big gasp of air as she suddenly popped up out of the water, and not long after, Inuyasha emerged from it, as well, his hair loose and drooping over his eyes while he had this big, mischievous grin on his face, which caused his wife to glare at him, even though she had a bit of a playful smirk.  
  
"Inuyasha, you jerk!" Kagome shouted as she splashed the half-demon, who laughed as he tried to shield himself.  
  
"Dad sure got you good, huh, Mom?" asked Ichiro as he and Yamako paddled up to them.  
  
"DADDY!!"  
  
Inuyasha looked up to Sanka...who was seething at him with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.  
  
"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!!" Sanka yelled. "MOMMY COULD HAVE DROWNED!!!"  
  
"Sanka, I'm fine!" Kagome said. "Your father was just playing a little game, that's all!"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!!" Sanka yelled. "THE WATER'S SCARY AND DEEP AND...AND...HE SHOULDN'T DO THAT!!!"  
  
"Hey, who put a bee in your undies?!" asked Ichiro.  
  
"Yeah, San, we're just having fun!" Yamako added.  
  
Sanka sniffled before she turned and walked away, sitting behind the tree while Mamoru went to sit beside her. Inuyasha and Kagome both glanced at each other before the former climbed out of the lake, shook himself dry, gave a momentary glance at Izayoi and Usagi, and finally walked to the other side of the tree where he found Sanka, sitting with her knees curled up to her chest as tears fell from her eyes.  
  
"San?" Inuyasha asked. "I was only playing with your mother. I'd never do anything like hurt her or drown her."  
  
"You still shouldn't do that, Daddy," Sanka muttered.  
  
"...San?" Inuyasha asked. "You haven't set one foot in the water...how come?"  
  
Sanka chewed her lip, prompting her father to gently stroke her hair and her floppy little ears, telling her that he would listen to her.  
  
"...I'm scared," Sanka replied. "I'm scared of the water...ever since what happened to me at the river earlier this year...I..."  
  
"Oh, I see," Inuyasha realized. "Yeah, I can see why that would be traumatizing."  
  
"And when you pulled Mommy into the lake," Sanka started, "I thought about what happened to me and...well...I thought she was going to drown, too."  
  
"Aww, Sanka," Inuyasha said as he gently pulled her into his lap and kissed her forehead. "It's okay."  
  
"...It does look a little fun," Sanka said, "but...I'm too scared to get in the water."  
  
"...What if Daddy helped you not to be scared?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"How?" Sanka inquired, causing her father to grin.  
  


XXX

  
"Uh...Daddy?" asked Sanka, sitting on her father's back while fisting his hair. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
"It'll be fine," Inuyasha reassured as he began to step into the water of the lake with Ichiro and Yamako waiting for them. Kagome sat on the embankment with the twins and Mamoru, watching closely while giving her daughter a reassuring wave, causing Sanka to smile back at her. As she looked back, she gasped as she saw that Inuyasha was already halfway into the water, which was just up to his chest...and almost instantly, her mind flashed back to when she fell into the river in the forest, earlier that spring.  
  
"W-wait!" Sanka cried. "I change my mind!!"  
  
"Nope, too late," Inuyasha said. "Just don't let go, okay? I got you."  
  
"...Okay, Daddy," Sanka replied. She had no reason not to trust her father. If he said he had her, then she knew he would keep her safe.  
  
Soon, Inuyasha was neck-deep in the water with Sanka still sitting on his shoulders, holding onto his hair. The water felt cool on her knees and it was actually a nice relief from the summer heat. As she started to get used to it, she smiled a bit before she glanced off to the side and saw her brothers swimming alongside Inuyasha, both of them smiling at her.  
  
"You're doing good, San!" exclaimed Ichiro.  
  
"Yeah, way to go!" Yamako added.  
  
"Yeah...I am doing good, aren't I?" asked Sanka.  
  
"You ready to try going underwater?" Inuyasha asked, prompting Sanka to look down into the lake...and after giving a moment's pause, she whimpered nervously and shook her head, which caused her father to smile at her in understanding. "That's okay. We'll try again another time, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Sanka nodded. "...Daddy?"  
  
"Yeah, bug?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"...Thanks for trying to help me be brave," Sanka said, causing a chuckle to rumble in Inuyasha's chest.  
  
"You're welcome, honey," he said.  
  


XXX

  
Later on, as dusk began to approach, a transformed Mamoru flew through the sky, carrying the family on her back. Inuyasha sat in the front while holding a snoozing Sanka, Kagome sat behind while she held the twins in her papoose, and Ichiro and Yamako sat behind her, the latter slumped against his older brother's back while he clung to his kimono.  
  
"What a day," Kagome said.  
  
"You said it," Ichiro agreed, making sure to keep his younger brother from falling off, but also glancing at his younger sister, as well. "...Hey, Dad?"  
  
"Hmm?" Inuyasha hummed in reply.  
  
"You think San's gonna be okay?" Ichiro asked. "I mean...what happened at the river, earlier this year...it really scared her...and...it scared me, too."  
  
Inuyasha didn't miss the subtle hint of guilt on his oldest son's voice. He knew that what happened that day traumatized Ichiro, as well. After all, as the oldest, the responsibility of protecting his younger siblings fell upon him. Ever since what happened that day, Ichiro continued to blame himself for not looking after Sanka better.  
  
"Ichi...it'll be a while before Sanka's completely over her fear of water," said Inuyasha. "She might not be afraid of going in, now, but going underwater? That's gonna take a little more time."  
  
"The important thing is we be patient with her," Kagome added. "Your sister took a big step today...and for now, that's enough. It'll be up to us to help until she's ready to try and swim on her own." She then glanced back at Ichiro. "And you and your brother will help...won't you?"  
  
Ichiro blinked before he smiled and nodded at his mother and father, who both smiled proudly as Mamoru continued to fly back home.


	3. Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Autumn comes and family comes to visit…but Tsukihime finds herself missing a member that she lost. Can Ichiro and Roku help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
> 
> Story and OCs © Me

The air was crisp and smelled of wet soil. Leaves of gold, red, orange, and brown fell off the trees, littering the grass and even falling into the stream nearby. Sitting beneath the trees, Inuyasha chuckled as he gently bounced Usagi on his knee, causing her to giggle as he held her tiny hands.  
  
"Can you believe you and your sister are gonna be a year old, soon?" Inuyasha asked as he kept bouncing her, then he proceeded to blow a raspberry on her tummy, which caused her to go into peals of giggles.  
  
Kagome chuckled as she watched her husband play with little Usagi while Izayoi was being carried around on her back, sleeping soundly. In front of her, Sanka sat crosslegged as her mother brushed her hair...and needless to say, it was not easy. Every time Kagome pulled her hair with the brush, it caused her to fidget a bit from the pain. Mamoru lied nearby, taking herself a little catnap (no pun intended).  
  
"Be still, Sanka," Kagome scolded gently.  
  
"But Mommy, it hurts!" Sanka complained.  
  
"I'm not even brushing that hard," Kagome argued. "You are so tender-headed..." She then continued to brush her daughter's hair a bit more, causing her daughter to groan.  
  
"It's hard work, being pretty," she bemoaned.  
  
"Yeah, it is," Kagome concurred, "but it's gotta be done."  
  
"Mom, look!"  
  
Kagome turned to see Yamako run up to her, carrying a bundle of leaves in his arms while his 3-year-old cousin, Taisetsu, who was visiting today, toddled along behind him while holding just three orange sycamore leaves.  
  
"Oh, wow, look at all those leaves!" said Kagome.  
  
"Tai and I have been collecting them, nearby!" said Yamako.  
  
"I got some for Mama," Taisetsu said as he held up his leaves. "Mama likes orange leaves."  
  
"How are your mommy and daddy, Tai?" asked Kagome.  
  
"Still love each other," said Taisetsu.  
  
"Are you excited to be a big brother?" asked Kagome.  
  
"I think so," Taisetsu nodded, though he wasn't really making eye contact with his aunt, focusing more on twirling the leaves he had in his fingers. "...Aunt Kagome? Will Mama and Dada still love me?"  
  
"Oh, sweetheart, of course, your parents will still love you," said Kagome.  
  
"It's okay, Tai," said Sanka. "We know how you feel."  
  
"Yeah, when the twins were born, I thought Mom and Dad didn't love me, anymore," Yamako added, "but then I realized that they needed me! And your little brother or sister's gonna need you, too!"  
  
"Really?" Taisetsu asked.  
  
"Yeah, Tai," Inuyasha agreed as he walked up to them while holding Usagi. "Besides, your mother has at least 8 months left before the baby's here. As long as Rin sees us every once in a while and Kagome makes sure she's okay, everything will be fine. Trust me."  
  
Taisetsu smiled and nodded his head, prompting Inuyasha to reach down and gently ruffle his head, causing his long, floppy ears to flap about.  
  
"By the way," Inuyasha began, "where did Ichi go?"  
  
"He and Roku left a while ago," said Kagome. "They were gonna find Tsukihime."  
  
"Well...as long as he doesn't get into any trouble, I guess it's okay," Inuyasha muttered.  
  


XXX

  
"So, wait...even after you stroked her butt, she still wants to talk to you?"  
  
"I guess so! I mean...I did promise I wouldn't do it, again."  
  
Ichiro and Roku strolled casually through the forest, the leaves crunching beneath their feet with every step they took. The two boys were talking about an incident earlier in the spring involving a girl that Roku had been crushing on for quite some time.  
  
"So, what did your dad tell you?" asked Ichiro. "You know, about the whole 'rubbing butts' thing."  
  
"He said I shouldn't do it unless I'm at least married to a girl," said Roku, "and since I pretty much just started meeting her and all, I think marriage might be a long way off."  
  
"Well, at least she still wants to see you," said Ichiro. "That's something, I guess. What's this girl like, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, her name is Isuzu," said Roku as his face flushed a light red. "She's...really cute and...she's pretty smart."  
  
"Huh," Ichiro muttered. "Isuzu...I think I saw her in the village before. Is she that girl with really dark blue eyes? Wears a mint green kimono?"  
  
"Yeah, that's her!" Roku answered. "Wait, how'd you know?"  
  
"Because sometimes, I see her spying on you," said Ichiro.  
  
"Wait...really?" Roku asked in surprise, but just as the quarter-demon was about to answer, his ears suddenly twitched.  
  
"You hear something?" asked Ichiro.  
  
"Ichi, don't change the subject," said Roku in annoyance.  
  
"No, seriously, I hear something," said Ichiro, and Roku's eyes widened as he watched his quarter-demon friend swivel his ears...and it was at that moment that Roku started hearing something, too: the sound of soft sobs.  
  
"Is someone crying?" asked Roku.  
  
"Yeah...and I think I know who," Ichiro answered before he ran off, heading toward the sound, and Roku followed in behind him.  
  


XXX

  
Sitting on the riverbed...Tsukihime sniffled as she curled her tail around her feet, tears falling from her eyes as she let out shuddering sobs. She wiped her eyes, and yet her tears still continued to fall. At that moment, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind, and as she turned around...she saw that it was Ichiro and Roku.  
  
"...Tsuki," Ichiro whispered, sadly.  
  
"Hi, Ichi...Hi, Roku," Tsukihime whispered before she wiped her eyes. "Sorry...I didn't want you guys to see me like this."  
  
"Are you okay?" Roku asked as he and Ichiro sat beside her.  
  
"No...not really," Tsukihime answered.  
  
"What are you crying about?" Roku inquired. "Is there something we can do to make it better?"  
  
"Not unless you can go back in time," Tsukihime replied...and it was then that a look of realization appeared on Ichiro's face before his eyes softened and he put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"...You're thinking about Keiko, again, huh?" asked Ichiro.  
  
"...It's been almost 5 years since she died," said Tsukihime. "I know I shouldn't be thinking about her-"  
  
"No, it's perfectly natural that you still think about her," said Roku. "That means you still care for her."  
  
"...Sometimes...I wonder what'd be like if she were still alive, you know?" Tsukihime asked. "What would Hasu and Hoshi think about her?"  
  
"I'm sure they'd love her as much as you did," said Ichiro.  
  
"...I guess," Tsukihime replied. "Ichi...Roku...when does it get better? When does it stop hurting so much?"  
  
Ichiro and Roku both looked at each other. Truth be told, they didn't really know what to say. They had never really experienced the loss of a sibling. Ichiro almost came close when Sanka almost drowned in the river, but he didn't think that counted.  
  
"...Wait a minute!" Roku exclaimed, causing Ichiro and Tsukihime to look up at him. "I've got an idea!"  
  


XXX

A while later, Ichiro, Roku, and Tsukihime all stood at the village cemetery...where they stood before the graves of Kikyo and Kaede, both of them covered in flowers. There was even a red maple leaf on Kaede's grave.  
  
"Old Lady Kaede's grave?" asked Tsukihime. "Why did you bring me here?"  
  
"Because Kaede was like family to us," said Ichiro. "She helped my Mom get more situated to being here in the Feudal Era...and she was kinda like a great-grandma to me. I miss her a lot and I think about her pretty much every day. So does everyone else in the village."  
  
"...That leaf there," said Tsukihime as she pointed at the maple leaf. "Who left that?"  
  
"Probably my Mom," said Ichiro. "You see, Tsuki? It's okay to still think about people we lost. It just goes to show you how much they've impacted our lives...so the fact that you still think about Keiko only shows how much she's impacted your life...even though you knew her for only a couple of weeks."  
  
Tsukihime smiled before she leaned against Ichiro's shoulder, causing him to smile at her, as well. Roku chuckled at the two as he looked up at the sky...watching as the maple leaves gently fell from the tree branches.  
  
Not too far from them...Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango stood nearby, the latter holding little Unmo in her arms while Inuyasha and Kagome held Usagi and Izayoi, respectively, all of them smiling proudly.  
  
"Sometimes, thinking of loved ones who have gone on before us can be painful," said Miroku, "but it doesn't have to be...as long as we're reminded that we're never alone."  
  
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Miroku," Sango agreed.  
  
"Tsukihime's so lucky to have met our kids," said Kagome. "It just goes to show that she's made such great friends."  
  
"Yeah...sounds kinda familiar," Inuyasha said with a warm smile as he watched his son, who put an arm around Tsukihime's shoulders, causing her to wag her tail.


	4. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the snow falls on a winter night, Kagome thinks about how her kids are growing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
> 
> Story and OCs © Me

The temperature had to be at least somewhere below zero. The grass was covered in a thick blanket of snow...which just kept falling down from the night sky. The cloud cover was so dense, the moon and stars could not be seen...but Kagome didn't mind.  
  
She smiled as she sat on the porch, watching the snowflakes descend while her family slept in the house, having tuckered themselves out during a day of romping around in the snow, not to mention the free-for-all snowball fight they had earlier today. Curled up with her and bundled up tight to stave off the cold night air were the twins. Izayoi cooed in her sleep as she held her mother's finger and Usagi quietly sucked on her thumb. As Kagome continued to watch the snowfall, the door suddenly opened behind her, but she didn't turn around to see who it was, for she already knew.  
  
"What are you doing out here, woman?" Inuyasha asked. "It's freezin' out here, you know."  
  
"I know," Kagome said. "I just wanted to watch the snow."  
  
"You'll catch your death if you stay out here much longer," Inuyasha said as he pulled off his haori and draped it around her shoulders. "At least wear put something on your shoulders when you come out here."  
  
"Thanks, Inuyasha," Kagome replied, prompting her husband to blush a bit.  
  
"Yeah, well, someone has to look out for you," he said as he sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. She sighed softly as she leaned into him, her head tucked up under his chin. He smiled at her, a pleasant rumbling reverberating in his chest as he held her and the twins close.  
  
"What are you out here thinking about?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"...Just...about what next year will bring," said Kagome, causing him to look at her. "The twins are both a year old, now...Sanka just turned 5 not that long ago...and Ichi's gonna be 13 in a few more months." She gave another sigh. "Our kids are growing up, Inuyasha."  
  
"...Yeah...they are," Inuyasha replied.  
  
"I gotta admit...I'm a little sad," Kagome said.  
  
"Why?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Because I know that one day, they'll probably leave to go build their own lives," Kagome answered.  
  
"...Yeah, they probably will," Inuyasha said. "That's why it's important that we spend every day with them while we have the chance."  
  
"...Yeah...I know," Kagome said. "...Hey, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Yeah?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Do you think that I did a good job as a mom?" Kagome inquired.  
  
"...Yeah...I think so," Inuyasha replied.  
  
"You're not just saying that, are you?" asked Kagome.  
  
"No, I mean it," Inuyasha answered. "You're doing a great job, Kagome."  
  
Kagome smiled up at her husband, who gave her that little grin he gave with one fang poking out that she loved so much.  
  
"I think you're doing a great job, too," she said, causing him to chuckle.  
  
"...Thanks, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered before he closed his eyes and puckered his lips, prompting Kagome to giggle before she soon pressed her lips into his. However, their kiss was short-lived as they were soon interrupted by the sound of Usagi's fussing, causing Inuyasha to sigh as he soon pulled the little one away from her mother and held her so that she was standing on his knee.  
  
"Ah, what do you want?" Inuyasha asked with mock irritation. "I'm the one who should be fussing. I had to change your yucky diaper, today!" He then laughed as Usagi started to giggle, then he dropped a light kiss on her forehead.  
  
As Inuyasha fawned over one of his baby girls, he and Kagome didn't seem to realize that they were being watched.  
  
"It's nice seeing them all cozy like that," said Yamako as he sat on the stairs with Sanka, who was holding Mamoru in her arms.  
  
"Mommy and Daddy are so cute," said Sanka.  
  
"Yeah...I guess even I gotta admit our parents are kinda cute," Ichiro spoke up. "I still think it's kinda gross when they kiss like that."  
  
"Why's it gross?" asked Yamako.  
  
"I bet you wouldn't say that if Tsukihime kissed you!" Sanka added, causing her brother's face to turn all shades of crimson.  
  
"W-what the hell are you talking about?!" Ichiro questioned. "Since when was this about me and Tsukihime?! Who, by the way, is my best friend! I wouldn't kiss her! That'd be weird!"  
  
"Yeah, right," Sanka said while narrowing her eyes, incredulously. "It's practically written all over your face. You've been making goo-goo eyes at her all year!"  
  
"Oh! So that's why you've been hanging around Tsuki so much!" added Yamako. "It's because you like her, isn't it?"  
  
"Why you little...!" Ichiro growled, his face and even the tips of his ears turning even redder. "I ought to tan your hides!!"  
  
"RUN!!!" Sanka cried before she hurried down the stairs, and Yamako yelped in fright as he rushed after her, prompting Ichiro to give chase while spouting the typical threats that irritated older brothers would use as he pursued them throughout the house. Inuyasha groaned as he handed Usagi back to Kagome and went to quell his three older children.  
  
"Hey! HEY!!" he called in a sharp tone. "Ichi, leave your brother and sister alone!!"  
  
"They started it!!" Ichiro yelled.  
  
"I don't care who started it!" Inuyasha snapped. "I'll finish it!"  
  
And all the while, Kagome laughed as she held the twins in her arms.  
  
"I love my life," she said.  
  


**THE END**


End file.
